Surefoot 27: Oubliette

An alert drew C'Rash's attention back to her station. "Captain, the transmission is definitely from the direction of Shangris IX... but the vocal and carrier wave analysis marks both as Ferengi in origin!"

Hrelle nodded. "The Columbia reported spotting one of their Marauders in this sector the other day. And if the Ferengi think one of our stations is gonna be easy pickings... well, I did promise them that it was gonna get messy..."

*

In Exam Room 1, Sasha was chewing on some of her hair as she pondered the latest question; the Tomed Incident was not one of her favourite subjects, and she considered moving on and coming back to it-

The screen locked as the ship's computer announced overhead. "Yellow Alert! This is not a drill! All personnel report to your duty stations immediately! Repeat: Yellow Alert-"

Like others around her, she bolted to her feet, knocking over her chair, not sure if she was annoyed by this case of Examinus Interruptus, or relieved.

She quickly decided on Relieved. She knew she would be lucky to scrape by, and so welcomed a distraction from the inevitable.

*

Deck 2 Fore -- First Officer's Quarters/Office:

T'Varik had been surreptitiously monitoring the initial progress of the Exams -- for academic purposes, of course, rather than just idle curiosity -- when the Yellow Alert sounded. As she felt the ship accelerate to high warp, she allowed herself an indulgence of 0.74 seconds alarm and annoyance before opening a channel to the Bridge. "This is T'Varik, what is happening?"

Neheru answered. "Commander, it appears a Ferengi Marauder is attacking the weather research station on Shangris IX."

She called up the details of Shangris, her work with the Final Exams having taken up most of her time and leaving her with less than fully-comprehensive information on what was meant to be a routine resupply mission. As the station personnel manifest appeared, Neheru continued. "The Captain believes that there is something more going on there than just weather research."

T'Varik bolted to her feet as she focused on the image of Shangris' team leader. "The Captain is correct. Please have him meet me in his Ready Room immediately."

*

Deck 2 Fore -- Captain's Ready Room:

A picture of a broad-jawed, olive-skinned Vulcan female approaching middle age appeared on the Mission Ops screen. T'Varik stood closest to it. "The official records list this individual as Doctor Vassak, graduate of Exo-Meteorology at the Vulcan Science Academy, civilian specialist with the Federation Science Council, previously assigned to the USS John Dalton studying weather patterns in the Azati Prime system, before being transferred to Shangris 3 years ago to manage the team based there.

This is entirely false."

As Hrelle, C'Rash and Kami exchanged glances, T'Varik continued. "I knew her 22.6 years ago as Sakuth, a fellow instructor at Starfleet Academy. She was dissatisfied with her professional and personal prospects, and changed career path, joining Starfleet Research and Development -- officially."

"And unofficially?" Hrelle prompted.

T'Varik paused before replying. "She is in fact working for Starfleet Intelligence, overseeing security for classified projects with R&D; I have occasionally encountered her record while assisting cadets who are seeking positions within SI. I believe Sakuth's current rank is Captain, though she is not assigned command of any particular vessel."

Kami crossed her arms. "So the Ferengi didn't just pick this as an easy target, did they? They're after whatever secrets are being kept on Shangris?"

"Undoubtedly." The Vulcan looked to Hrelle. "You were correct to call for a Yellow Alert, Sir."

Hrelle sighed. "I wish I hadn't been. The cubs-"

"It could not be helped, Sir. I will reschedule the Exams following the conclusion of our work at Shangris. Captain, may I have a private word with you before we repair to the Bridge?"

Hrelle looked to Kami and C'Rash, who left. Once the doors closed, he asked, "What's up?"

The Vulcan folded her hands behind her back and adopted a more formal posture. "Captain, protocol compels me to offer full disclosure: when we were both stationed at the Academy, Sakuth and I were in a long-term, intimate relationship. In fact, we had discussed marriage before we dissolved our relationship and she moved on."

Hrelle nodded at this for a moment, before offering, "Acknowledged."

T'Varik paused, as if waiting for a lengthier response from him, before replying. "I must confess I was expecting a more... prurient reply."

He smirked. "Contrary to my reputation, on rare occasions, I am capable of a mature attitude with my colleagues and crew. And I can see that it's still a sensitive subject for you." At her reaction, he elaborated, "Not that I believe it would ever have an effect on your typically exemplary behaviour, of course."

"Of course."

He leaned back in his chair, regarding her. "At the risk of appearing prurient, though, may I ask what happened between you two?"

"You believe it necessary to know?"

His expression altered slightly. "Well, maybe not necessary. But it only just occurred to me how infrequent you and I have shared any personal details. You usually go to my wife or my niece for such things, and I only get to hear about anything if they deign to share it. You don't have to answer, of course; I am more than happy to keep our relationship on a strictly professional basis -- but if I have to deal with someone from SI, I'd like to have as much truth as possible already established, and I trust what you would say more than what any of them would."

"Thank you, Sir." She paused before continuing. "Sakuth had planned on teaching Security, Tactics and Martial Arts at the Academy, but eventually came to believe that such a career would be... unworthy of her. Beneath her."

"An ambitious Vulcan?"

"That would imply emotion; Vulcans would prefer to view it as a logical and efficient utilisation of our full potential." Now her brow furrowed slightly. "She was recruited by a then-Commander Trenagen into Starfleet Intelligence. He attempted to recruit me as well, but I turned down his offer. Sakuth... believed this to be a reflection of deficiencies in my character, and our relationship ended inamicably."

He grunted. "Her loss. But I'm curious as to why you chose not to reveal it to Kami or C'Rash? They are, after all, the Counselor and your current partner."

She breathed in. "I have found that such a revelation tends to spur in both of them a desire for intimate, salacious details that I am less than sanguine about supplying at this time. I would prefer that they remain ignorant for now."

Hrelle smiled.

"What is it?"

He sighed. "We have a saying on Cait: 'What a female doesn't already know isn't worth knowing'. If we cubs are smart enough we learn that quickly; it saves us a lot of smacked snouts from our mothers and Matriarchs for lying."

She raised an eyebrow. "You believe they are already aware?"

"Almost certainly -- but they will also be aware that you don't want them to be aware, so they'll wait to get it out of me. I won't say anything, of course, which means they'll work it out of me anyway." He straightened up. "Enough of all this emotional nonsense. Shall we focus on more immediate concerns?"

"Gladly, Sir."

*

The ninth planet in the Shangris system was small, blue-green in the computer-enhanced image that was rapidly growing on the viewscreen, at the centre of the dilated tunnel of high warp; beside it, tactical data scrolled down about the vessel in geosynchronous orbit over the equator of the world.

Hrelle gripped the arms of his chair; moving at over 2500 times the speed of light, and it still seemed to take forever to get where they were going. Still, the cadets had left the Exam Rooms and taken their expected duty stations, otherwise behaving professionally, for which he was once more proud of them. "Helm, ETA?"

Velkovsky never took her eyes away from the controls. "Ten minutes, Sir."

"Have they detected us yet?"

"They don't appear to," Neheru reported, then responded to an alert. "Captain, we've received a reply from Starfleet Command! It..." The Kelpien paused, his flat face creasing as he continued to read silently now.

Until T'Varik prompted him with, "Lieutenant?"

Neheru shook himself, looking up again at Hrelle. "It's a... Directive 27."

The more experienced officers reacted, though the cadets remained more bemused. Hrelle stiffened and ordered, "Read it aloud, Lieutenant, so everyone else understands the implications."

Neheru nodded. "'Under Starfleet Security Directive 27, the Captain and Crew of the USS Surefoot is hereby authorised to take any and all steps necessary to prevent the Shangris IX Research Station facility, including its equipment, data and personnel, from becoming compromised by unauthorised parties. These steps include, if required, the destruction of said facility, its equipment, data and personnel, as well as the unauthorised parties. Signed: Admiral Ian Trenagen, Starfleet Intelligence Office.'"

Hrelle allowed the words to sink in to the younger members of the Bridge crew. He had expected as much anyway, and as much as he detested even getting peripherally involved with Starfleet Intelligence skullduggery, he also knew his duty. "What's the status of the facility?"

T'Varik glanced at her board. "The station's orbiting defence platforms are destroyed, and the Marauder is continuing to fire on the station- wait, they've stopped now. I think they've brought the station's shields down. I'm detecting transporter activity."

Hrelle nodded at that. "Red Alert!" As the klaxon sounded and the lightstrip circling the ceiling of the Bridge glowed bright crimson, he continued, "Velkovsky, take us in over the planet's polar region; its magnetic fields will mask us. C'Rash, arm phasers and photon torpedoes. Target the Ferengis' warp core; I want them destroyed before they even know we're there. Is that understood?"

The younger Caitian looked up, but quickly nodded and replied, "Aye, Sir."

Hrelle spared a glance at T'Varik, who had been looking to him but staying silent. She didn't have to say anything; he understood her reluctance to kill, to let the cadets see this option, as extraordinary and necessary as the circumstances might be.

Onscreen, the planet's icy polar caps raced beneath as the Surefoot glided along the upper edges of its atmosphere, dropping out of warp before their faster-than-light trail could affect the exosphere and alert the Ferengi, and racing along on full impulse, preparing to destroy the Marauder.

He looked around again at the cadets, looking to him for orders, for guidance... for inspiration. They learned from him just as much as they did their lessons. And as much as it rankled him sometimes... he liked setting an example for them.

This was not the example he wanted to set.

After a moment, he looked to C'Rash again, announcing loudly and deliberately. "Lieutenant, target the Ferengi weapons ports and shield generators only. We'll see if we can disable them first rather than destroy them."

"Aye, Sir."

Hrelle looked back at T'Varik. "SI might want to interrogate them, after all, and find out what they know."

She nodded, her eyes displaying her approval of his change of tactic.

Suddenly the crimson, crab-shaped starship appeared in view, as C'Rash announced, "Entering weapons range! Firing torpedoes!"

A volley of dazzling lights shot forth from the Surefoot, striking the port tip of the crescent Engineering section of the Marauder; caught with their shields down, portions of the Ferengi vessel's hull ruptured and splintered under the explosive yields, as the Surefoot's phasers followed the torpedoes, striking the central underside, where Starfleet Intelligence believed their main shield generators were situated.

"Helm, Attack Pattern Alpha One!" Hrelle barked. "Ops, hail them, order them to surrender or be destroyed!"

But as the Surefoot swung around, the band of warp panels along the outer curve of the Marauder glowed white, before the ship itself departed at high warp.

"So much for that," C'Rash muttered, satisfied. "Are we pursuing, Sir?"

"No, but send out a General Alert to all ships in the sector, Neheru."

"Captain," T'Varik reported. "Sensors are detecting four lifesigns: Vulcan... an indeterminate reading... and two Ferengi, obviously left behind by their ship. Sir, there's weapons fire- and the station's antimatter containment fields are degrading! They'll collapse in fifteen minutes, possibly less!"

"Beam all lifesigns up! Alert a Security team-"

"Unable to, Sir!" Neheru shouted. "There are transporter inhibitor fields in place! We can beam down, but not back up!"

Hrelle rose to his feet. "Get someone from Engineering to Transporter Room One with pattern enhancers! Better get someone from Medical too! C'Rash, you're with me! T'Varik, you're in command!"

The Vulcan rose as well. "Sir, as Captain you-"

"-Have no time to argue this, Commander. Call me if the Ferengi return."

He was already on his way to the Bridge doors, C'Rash handing him a phaser from the weapons locker by her station as she followed him out, their boots pounding on the deck as they raced along, almost running into Jonas and Eydiir, the former carrying a set of enhancers in a shoulder bag, the latter wielding a medical kit, Jonas nodding and announcing, "Reporting as ordered, Sir. What's our status?"

Hrelle almost told them to stand down, and send more experienced crewmen. But then he accepted he couldn't treat them like cubs any more. They had been through too much already... and all under his command, he reminded himself. "Federation research station under attack, two survivors, condition unknown, and two armed Ferengi. And the station will probably blow up in fifteen minutes or less."

The cadets nodded at that, Jonas replying with, "Best get moving then, Sir. We have exams to get back to this afternoon."

Despite the crisis at hand, Hrelle couldn't help but smile as he led them into the Transporter Room.

*

The main Station Dome was of standard circular design, with configurable sections and corridors ringed around a central core. It was large, but no longer pristine: debris and smoke and acrid fumes filled the air, and a Red Alert chime made Hrelle's teeth itch.

Eydiir raised her medical tricorder. "Methane and ammonia from the planet's atmosphere is leaking in through the dome. Best not to hang around long and risk respiratory damage."

"Not to mention an imminent antimatter explosion," Jonas quipped.

The Caitians reacted simultaneously to the cries and the weapons fire heard ahead, drawing their phasers and racing along one curved corridor, stepping over more debris along the way.

They drew back at the last second, ensuring the cadets halted as well, as energy bolts flew past them, and an anguished voice screamed, "DEBTORS! DEBTORS EVERYWHERE!"

The officers crouched, Hrelle silently signalling C'Rash to take a position behind some rubble nearby, before he called out, "Ferengi! This is Starfleet! Your ship's fled, you're on your own! Drop your weapon and surrender!"

"FILTHY DEBTORS ROBBING ME! LEAVING ME BROKE! I'LL DIE A PAUPER!"

Hrelle frowned. Why was he ranting like that? "Ferengi! This station is going to blow up! You can't go to the Divine Treasury now, with nothing! Give up, live to profit another day!"

Another energy bolt struck the wall near C'Rash, making her duck beneath the fountain of rocks and dust that blossomed. Hrelle held his breath -- they didn't have time for this! -- and listened, building up a picture in his mind based on what he heard: the whistle of escaping air, crackling damaged power conduits, agitated pacing, incoherent muttering, an energy weapon on power cycle, almost ready to fire again-

He rose, turned the corner, aimed and fired, catching the Ferengi with a stunbeam that caught the right side of his bulbous, peach-coloured head. He dropped his weapon, and followed it to the ground.

He raced up to it, the rest of his Away Team following as he knocked away the Ferengi weapon and kept guard. "C'Rash! Find the other one!"

Eydiir dropped to one knee beside the Ferengi, running her tricorder over him, and frowning. "This- This is wrong."

Jonas was clutching his shoulder bag and looking around. "What is?"

"The Ferengi is suffering from multiple systems failures, cascading out from his central nervous system, affecting his heart, lungs, autonomic system-"

"Because of my phaser beam?" Hrelle asked, concerned now.

"No, Sir, the failures were already there, which presumably was causing the irrational behaviour-"

"Captain!" C'Rash called out. "The other Ferengi is here, dead! No apparent cause as far as I can see!"

Hrelle nodded for Eydiir to go check, as a horrible thought swelled through him: what if there was some biological agent being created here, and it was now released, in the air and infecting them even as they stood there?

His combadge chirped. "Captain, the magnetic chamber around the station's antimatter will collapse in ten minutes."

Jonas drew closer to Hrelle. "I might be able to make repairs to it, Commander."

"Negative, Mr Ostrow. This is no malfunction, it's a self-destruct protocol; any attempt to halt it will trigger it immediately."

"Acknowledged, Commander," Hrelle told her. "The Ferengi are dead, have you got a fix on the survivors?"

"Yes, Sir, in a room six metres behind and to your left. The signs are still indeterminate for one of them."

"Stand by, I'm leaving the channel open."

Eydiir and C'Rash returned, the Capellan reporting, "The other one died in the same way, no apparent causes."

"And you're not detecting any biological or chemical agents responsible?"

She checked her tricorder again. "No, Sir."

He nodded, feeling slightly relieved. "Let's get the survivors and get out of here."

The Away Team moved to the section T'Varik indicated, and as the doors slid open, Hrelle strode in first, seeing what looked like private quarters. "It's okay, we're-"

The room seemed empty, deserted. But there was an elongated black metal box sitting on a table.

Its lid was opening of its own accord; something dazzling began emerging...

Mother's Cubs... Hrelle turned in place, blocking the view for his Away Team. "TURN AROUND! BACK OUTSIDE! DON'T LOOK!" The terror in his voice made them obey, as he called out over his shoulder, "We're Starfleet! STARFLEET! Not Ferengi! Get back in the box! NOW!"

He listened, his heart threatening to burst through his furry chest, waiting for the lid to shut again, and hoping that they understood him. He swallowed. Seven Hells, that was close, too, too close...

He looked to his Away Team. "Stay here. Don't look in that room."

"Captain?" C'Rash started, confused.

He raised a finger to his muzzle for silence, and started back around the corner -- dodging back in time as phaser beams, set on Kill, shot out. "DAMMIT, STOP! Captain Sakuth, this is Captain Hrelle of the Surefoot! We were on our way to pick you up when we detected the Ferengi attack!"

The phaser blasts stopped, but a female voice called back, "There is no Captain Sakuth here!"

"My First Officer, Commander T'Varik, recognised your picture in the station files! I know you knew each other back at the Academy!"

Another pause, and the voice replied, "I do not know a Commander T'Varik-"

"Captain, we drove off the Ferengi, and the ones left on the planet are dead, but your station is still on Auto-destruct! Admiral Trenagen's slapped a Directive 27 on this stroking place, so I'm perfectly in my rights to beam myself and my people back up and leave you to your fate! If that's what you want-"